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Big things are on the horizon for Chilton County.

Just this week, the final draft of Interstate 65, Exit 212 master plan was announced along with an update on the Alabama Farm Center and the re-introduction of a career center in Clanton.

It was definitely a jam-packed week with lots of positive news to go around.

I have been covering the master plan process since the beginning when they first held the public meetings at the Alabama Power building, and I am proud of the way the groups leading the way have handled things.

Regardless of how you feel about the farm center project or future growth in Chilton County in general, the one thing you cannot argue is that the proper due diligence did not go into the formulation of the master plan.

There is a reason the process took almost a year. That does not happen unless you are taking the necessary measures to dissect every possible data point that you come across.

I would like to take the time now to stand up and applaud for the efforts and forward-thinking attitudes that the leaders in the county have shown in recent years.

That willingness to be open-minded is very refreshing to see and be around.

There are still those that are hesitant to change and push back against any talk of such things.

I completely understand because I am the first to admit that I like a comfortable situation just as much as the next person, but I try my best to keep that feeling of comfort from turning into a hinderance.

It is important that we embrace the same when the time is right. An example would be new shoes. You can get comfortable with a certain pair of shoes, but when they get worn out they become less comfortable and suddenly the thought of changing shoes does not seem as bad as it did prior.

Chilton County has been wearing its current pair of shoes for years, and they are beginning to look pretty worn.

The Alabama Farm Center will serve as a nice shiny new pair of kicks for the county, which is something that is far overdue.